1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to printers that have embedded functionality for printing time-based media, and in particular to printing time-based media that results in a combination of a printed output and a related electronic data output.
2. Background of the Invention
A conventional printer can receive documents or other data in a number of formats and then prints the contents of those documents or data in accordance with the proper format. But while conventional printers can print documents in a wide variety of formats, these printers are fundamentally limited in their ability to reproduce different kinds of media. For example, it is standard technology for a printer to produce images of static text, pictures, or a combination of the two. But because these printers print onto paper or another similar fixed medium, they cannot record the nuances of time-based media very well.
What is needed therefore is a printer that is equipped to print time-based media without the limitations of conventional printers. It is further desirable that such a print be able to perform at least some of the necessary processing itself rather than require an attached computer or other device to perform all of the processing.